Improvement in the mode of forming molds for casting cannon balls or shot



Nrxrnn STATES PATENT Ormea.

ABIAL ELLIOT, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

`IMPROVEMENT IN THE MODE OF FORMING MOLDS FOR CASTING'CANNON BALLS 0R SHOI, BOMB- SHELLS, ne.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 3,2295. dated October 6, 1843.

To @ZZ whom. t may concern.:

Beit known that I, ARIAL ELLIo'r, of Philadelphia, inthe county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented a new and Improved Mode of Preparing Molds for Casting and Manufacturing Cannon Balls or Shot, Bomb-Shells, Carcasses, and other A rticles; and I do hereby declare that the following' is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had -to the annexed drawings, makinga part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a front View, Fig. 2, alongitudinal section 5 Fig. 3, a longitudinal section of the mold 5 Fig. 4, a birds-eye view of the flask containing the mold 5 Fig. 5, a view of the flask Athrown open containing the mold; Fig. 6, one

of the clamps for holding down the flask.

a in Fig. 2 is the pattern, attached to the lever b in Figs. l and 2,which lever is raised by a cam, c, in Figs. 1 and 2, or any other means more convenient. The iiask, Figs. 4 and 5. is retained in its place by means ofthe two clamps, Fig. 6, or such other means as may be preferred. The cross-bar el, Figs. 1 and 2, is attached to the stirrups e, Figs. l and 2, and brought down by the two eccentrics f, Figs. land 2, by means ofthe lever g, Figs. 1 and 2. The clamps 6, Fig. 1, and represented in section at Fig. 6, are intended to bethrown up by means of springs or counter-balances, and are attached to the le vers 7 ,which levers are depressed bythe cams lz, Figs. l and 2, attached to shaft 8 of cam c, which lifts the lever b. This is operated by means of the lever i, Figs. 1 and 2. The shaft No. 8, on which are the cams h and c, is elevated or depressed by means of the screws 7.a, Figs. 1 and 2. y

Zin Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5 is the flask,which-is represented inclosing the Vmold on the top -of `the machine iinder the cross-bar d, Figs. l and 2. m m, Fig. 2, is a movable plate or collar to be adapted to the size of the ball, &c.,which is to be molded.

No. 9 in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 is called the follower,7 which is to have a similar form to the article to be east, but of greater dimensions,

by which an equal thickness of sand or such' other material as may be used can be obtained.

It is to. be made of iron or other metal or material of such thickness as may be deemed proper for each arti cle'to be cast.- Both the followers 'from the War Ofiice.

' are pierced with vent-holes. The shape of that deemed best for cannon-balls is given in No. 9,

Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.

No. 10 in Figs. 2, 3, and 12 is the mold. The

followers incl'osing the mold are secured together by means of the two clamps No. 1l, Fig. 3. The gate is formed by means of a plug iitting closely the holethrough the upper follower, and which is pierced by a hole of nearly the size of the gate, thelower edge of whiohis quite sharp, thereby diminishing but slightly the size of the gate. This is forced down with the follower until it comes in contact with the. pattern. There are two followers-annpper having the gatein it, and the lower one-these u two followers, when put together, constituting, in fact, the double flask. No. 12 is a section of a iiank containing four molds for casting balls, che., one over theother, though Ido not confine myself to the particular number of four, which number may be varied at pleasure. No. 13 is the eccentric shaft.

My attention to this matter has been drawn by the imperfect manner in which cannonballs, shells, and the like have been made in this country and the uncertainty of getting a good article,whioh have occasioned very great difficulties and caused continual complaints Cannon-balls were formerly made in this country inironmolds; but there were so many objections to them, and such, too, as could not `be obviated, that the plan had to be given up. They were then made in what is called green sand in the same way as common castings are; but this plan, too, isa bad one and does not give satisfaction, as it is almost impossible to make two balls perfectly alike in every respect, especially balls of the larger sizes. In making cannonballs in dry sand less difficulty has been eXperienced than in any other method that. has been adopted; but even this is not without difficulties, in consequence of which the balls are not always of the samesize, and are frequently found to be elongated. Taking into view all these difficulties, I set myself to work in order to make some improvements by whichI might get clear of them and make cannon-balls that `would give more general satisfaction to the Government than any heretofore offered. I

found that what was want-cd to make a round ball was a uniformity of sand round the ball. To el'lect this the following is thc plan I have adopted: The liask represented in the drawings being placed on the pressing-machine, the drawing of which accompanies this, or any other suitable machine, has aquantity of sand or such other material as may be used sufficient to form the mold deposited in it. The lower follower is then placed in it and forced to its place over the pattern (which is first lifted to its place) by means of the pressing-machinc, the cross-bar (l of which is drawn over the follower, as described, or any other machinethat may be preferred or adopted. The one halt' of /the mold, being thus formed, is removed from the machine, and the same process is pursued with the other half ol the mold and the upper follower, except that the gate is formed, as described, in the said upper follower. \Vhen both halves are thus formed, the two flasks are placed in opposition, as shown in the drawings, Fig. 5. The liasks are then removed, leaving the follower standing, as shown in Fig. 3, (secured by the clamps.) and containing the molds; or the balls, &c., may be cast without removing the iiasks, in which case the clamps are placed outside.) This is to depend upon the pleasure or convenience of the party using them. The molds maybe used either with or without drying. though they are preferable when dried. The pattern is brought up from beneath through a `movable plate or collar closely fitting it, the openingin which of course depends on the size of the ball, &e., to be cast,

and placed. on the machine, as shown in the drawings, thus forming a perfect hemisphere. The flask is secured to the plate by means of hooks or such other plan as may be thought most convenient. The flasks open by mean/s of ahinge or otherwise in ease it is thought necessary to remove them from the followers, and are held together by means of a clamp, latch, or any other device. ln the drawings it would appear that thev metal in pouring comes in contact with the iron follower. This might answer with small balls, &c.; but with' the larger kinds it will be necessary to have the follower iilled with sand to the top, as shown in Fig. l2.

IV hat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. Forming molds for casting cannon-balls and other articles by molding the sand or other material in followers having a similar form to the articles to be cast, but of greater dimensions, as herein described, by which an equal thickness of sand (or other material) can be obtained, and to insure this equal thickness, and to facilitate the operation.

2. In combination with the above-claimed method of forming molds, the employment of a sliding pattern working through abcd-plate, in the nia-nner described.

ARIAL ELLIOT.

\Vitnesses:

PETER HAY, R. BnNiiLtN. 

